


To Fly, to Soar

by shinxwoo



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Altean Lance (Voltron), Arranged Marriage, F/M, Galra Keith (Voltron), M/M, Mutual Pining, Prince Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2019-01-10 11:39:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12298482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinxwoo/pseuds/shinxwoo
Summary: Lance had always thought he was lucky. Not only because he was an honored and respected prince of Altea (though that deal was pretty sweet too), but because he wasn’t his sister.Allura had the weight of the kingdom on her shoulders, and it had been that way since the day she was born. She was the first heir, the one to inherit their father’s crown, the one who had to watch what she did and said at every moment in time. Her every decision was already mapped out, and she had no time for fun.But Lance had the freedom to do whatever he wanted. Lance couldfly.(Lance has never minded being the second Altean royal child, the powerless and unimportant one. That is until meeting Allura’s arranged fiancé, Prince Keith, and his fierce dark eyes.)





	To Fly, to Soar

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting on my computer for so long and I finally decided to post it. It's super cliche but _hey_ , who doesn't like some Altean Lance? Also, this is my first voltron fic (yay!) so sorry if it's out of character.

In Altea's early morning hours, when the pink sun has barely started rising in the sky and the soft sounds of animals create a gentle hum outside the windows, the castle is sound asleep.

Lance knows this from experience. Over the years, he's snuck out on many, many adventures — ones that leave him short on sleep when he slips back home just as night bleeds into morning.

This is the only time of day when the corridors are empty. There will be no Allura walking down to her father's study to discuss some new Altean law proposal, no servants scurrying about as they wait on the inhabitants. No one will bother Lance with calls of "Prince, Prince,” and there are no prying eyes to catch what he's up to. Early morning is the only time Lance could ever get away with something like this, _especially_ on a day like today.

"You ready?" Lance asks his friend, Hunk, who keeps nervously wringing his hands as he watches Lance suit up.

"If I say no, does that mean you won't go?"

"Hunk, my man. Have I ever told you that you worry way too much?"

And it’s true. Lance can’t remember a time when his best friend wasn’t a nervous, worrying mess. 

Hunk has been working at the castle since he was only ten years old and has been serving Lance for nearly that long. The two became fast friends when Hunk was assigned as Lance's servant, and almost instantly, Lance had his friend's title changed to “official best friend,” instead. (Because Lance hates many rules of the palace, but he'll never hate anything more than the social hierarchy.)

He's been witness to almost every one of Lance's rebellious acts and has never ever been supportive of them, especially after that time that their heads almost got blown to bits by the military thinking they were attackers. ( _Attackers_! As if he and Hunk could take down Altea on a single blue plane.)

"Let's go," Lance says, winking at his friend. He hears Hunk's long-suffering sigh in response, but the other follows Lance anyways.

Looking left and then right, Lance checks his surroundings with a careful eye. The castle’s corridor is empty, but he can never be too careful. Slowly, he hedges out of the shadows, making sure to hug the side of the wall to avoid any missteps. He makes it halfway down the hallway before realizing that he is all alone.

“Hunk,” he whispers loudly, looking back to where his friend is rooted in place. “Stop being a baby and come over here!”

Hunk sighs again but walks forward.

“Lance, this is a terrible idea."

“You say that about _all_ my ideas.”

Hunk levels him with a pointed look but doesn’t have the chance to reply as they hear loud footsteps echoing through the hall: morning guards.

“Go now, doubt later,” Lance says as he pushes his friend forward. Hunk almost falls face forward onto the hard floor, but the second he regains his footing, he’s running, Lance only a step behind.

"I just don't get why you have to visit her _today_ ," Hunk says when they stop a few corners away. His breathing is labored, body not one to tolerate running. "It's not like she's going anywhere."

"It's been a week since I've seen Blue. Stupid Prince Keith can wait."

They are running once more when the footsteps are back, this time much further away, but still close enough to catch them. Eventually, the only sound apart from the slap of their feet against the hard floors is Hunk's whining. Finally, they reach the plane hangar.

Blue is waiting for him, her metal shining under fluorescent lights that activate when Lance steps forward. To the side, Red sits, swirling in her annoyance at being woken up.

Lance salutes Hunk as he climbs into Blue's cockpit. "Wait to close the doors until we’re flying forward, and then you can go back to my chambers. Pretend like I was gone when you woke up."

Hunk nods but doesn't look very happy about it. Lance suspects his friend will probably sneak some of Lance's breakfast for himself as payback. As much as that sucks, it's all worth it for his plane. His beautiful, wonderful Blue. Speaking of which, he looks down at her as they rise higher and higher; she's been surprisingly quiet so far.

"Miss me, girl?"

The two continue rising and part of the castle’s ceiling opens above them so that they are in open air. Around him, the pink sun glows, and it bathes Blue’s surface so that she looks purple. Her propellers sputter as they begin to fly forward.

Blue doesn't answer and he can feel her pouting in his head; she's giving him the silent treatment.

"I know it's been a while, but it's not my fault."

 _You could have snuck out to see me sooner_ , her voice echoes in his head.

"I tried. But father has had me on such a tight leash the past week. It's all _Keith-this_ and _Keith-that_ ," Lance's face scrunches up in annoyance as he says the name. "He needs me to look presentable, whatever that means."

He can feel Blue's amusement, her mind thinks back to Lance's outfits and never once has she seen him in the royal robes that Allura walks around in. They're pretty things: form-fitting and glittering with bright crystals. But they're so _restrictive_ , and since Lance can't fly comfortably in them, he doesn't wear them.

"Yeah, yeah, okay. But why does it matter? I'm not the one marrying him, Allura is."

_This is the first time Altea is meeting with Kubrish officials on Altean soil. It's a sign of respect._

Lance blows air through his teeth, annoyance at the whole situation coming through. He hates all these rules, and though they've followed him around all his life, his father has never made such a big deal about them before this week.

"Okay Blue, stop lecturing me. It's been a week and I wanna see if you still know how to fly."

She takes that as the challenge it was meant to be and suddenly they're zipping through the air, flying impossibly fast. Wind whips furiously through his hair, and Lance shouts in victory as the two travel farther and farther away from the castle.

\---

Later, when Blue has settled down and the two float comfortably above Altea, Lance lets his mind wander.

Prince Keith is coming today. The "beautiful" and "illustrious" _(the rumor mill's words, not his)_ Prince Keith that is coming to wed Allura and form an alliance between Altea and Kubra for the first time since the new country’s independence. It's a momentous occasion, not only for Kubra but also for Altea, a society which hasn't married off one of their own to another planet in over a thousand years. There will be feasts and dancing and everyone in the palace will be able to enjoy the week-long celebration, servants getting one day off to do whatever they like. Hunk has been talking non-stop about all the delicacies he is going to try - apparently Kubra is known for their food. Every other person on the planet is humming with excitement, the words "Prince Keith" constantly on their tongues.

But Lance wants nothing more than to fly far away and avoid the whole affair.

He's heard enough about Prince Keith in the past month to spare him for a lifetime, and he could care less about meeting the prince in person.

In his mind, this is Allura's death sentence. She shoulders the responsibility without complaint, but Lance knows how much she dislikes the idea of an arranged marriage. They'd always talked about marrying for love, back when they were still children and Allura hadn't known she was already engaged to a boy she'd never met. Back then, she'd have this faraway look in her eyes, describing a beautiful wedding under the stars. Now, that faraway look has been replaced with a careful blankness and Allura hasn't gushed over any wedding plans, not with her brother at least.

With a deep sigh, Lance breaks off the train of thought and looks down at the scene below him.

The city is just waking up - a few merchants begin to set up shop in the market square, but most Alteans are still in their houses. This is one of Lance's favorite times of day, second only to deep night. He loves seeing the sun rise over the houses - a light pink that frames the world and casts a soft light over Altea.

It's the softest time of day; no fiery rocks fall from the sky until at least noon, and Lance is free to do whatever he wants. But not everyone has that same luxury.

"Hey Blue," he asks, voice breaking up the calmness around them. "Do you think this wedding is a good idea?"

_Altea will benefit enormously. Kubra, though a new nation, has many things to offer._

"That's not what I'm asking. Do you think that _the wedding_ is good? Do you think Allura will be alright?"

Blue seems to think on that for a moment and the questions hang in the air, flying alongside the two.

 _I think_ , Blue's words register in Lance's head, soft and gentle, _that Allura is strong, and she is more than ready to sacrifice her happiness for the good of Altea._

That's not the answer that Lance wants to hear, though he knows that his plane is right. Allura has been preparing for this for all her life - and if anyone can do this, it's her. But still, to give up her independence like that...

_Lance, she'll be fine. The prince isn't executing her._

"Not in so many words," Lance mumbles under his breath but decides to drop the subject. There's nothing he can do about it anyways; Allura is marrying the new prince whether Lance likes it or not.

\---

Lance loses track of time as the two zip through the air. He always seems to do that: abandon all responsibilities when he's flying. Before long, the pink sun is high in the sky, and the previously quiet Altea is now bustling with the energy of the marketplace - of everyone preparing for tonight's celebration. He doesn't _mean_ to forget himself like this; it's just that there is nothing he'd rather pay attention to than the feeling of the wind whipping through his hair, stinging his eyes as tears prick their corners. Flying is the one thing he is truly passionate about. It's the only part of his life that he really loves.

He can still remember the first time that he flew Blue - Quiznak, how many years ago was it now? Ten? Eleven?

King Alfor had built the planes as a prototype for something greater, though he never said what that would be. While Blue and Red aren't fighter planes, Lance suspects that they were tests for something military-based. They contain the kind of high-tech gear that couldn't be used for anything else.

Before meeting Blue and Red, Lance hadn't thought he would be good at anything. Prince training had been a bust - he couldn't for the life of him remember how to sit with correct Altean posture or which fork was for green goo vs which one was meant for red goop. He'd started to retreat into himself, stewing in his failures, until the day his father came to him, a wide smile on his face.

\---

"I want to introduce you to someone," Alfor had said as he came into Lance’s room, gesturing his son to follow. Lance had followed unenthusiastically, not really in the mood for meeting a couple cold dignitaries.

But then Alfor took him into a new area of the castle. An impossibly huge room, empty apart from two planes, sitting silently in the middle. One was a bright blue, and it seemed to shimmer under the lights; the second was less flashy but built in a sleeker red design.

“Whoa,” Lance had breathed out in awe, reaching a hand out to touch the blue plane. It was cool to the touch, and simply putting a hand on it seemed to surge Lance with excited energy. “Can I fly one?”

Alfor let out that hearty, full chuckle that was his signature laugh. “Well, that’s why I brought you down here, so yes.” He gestured his redheaded advisor that was usually glued to his side, “Coran will teach you everything you need to know.”

After that, Alfor had left his son to learn the ropes, leaving him only with an instruction to report how the training went at the end of the day. Coran had, predictably, been eccentric with his training. He’d thrown Lance in the cockpit the first time Lance went up in the air, simply with the instruction that ‘this knob means go, and this pulley means stop.’ The training had been hands-on, to say the least.

But eventually, Lance had gotten the hang of it. And almost immediately, he’d learned that these planes were very special.

Headsets connected the flier to the plane, and with the headpiece on, one could speak (literally speak and have an honest-to-quiznak conversation with the planes. That is how Allura spoke to Red and Blue, and how Coran did as well.

But Lance was different, special in a way he’d never considered himself before. He could speak to the planes without a headpiece. Their thoughts would echo in his head, and he could speak back in a way they understood. No one, Alfor, and Coran included, knew why. Lance didn’t question his ability, and because it was something he and he alone could do, it endeared him to flying even more, and eventually, it was all that he ever did.

Lance liked feeling important, because, in all other areas of his life, he certainly wasn’t that way. The second Altean royal child, the one who went off to fly because he wasn’t trusted to handle anything of importance, Lance had no power and no responsibility. The whispers belittling him were never far away.

He pays these words no mind. He loves flying and there’s no reason to stop flying, just because he gets called powerless. Lance may be useless, but at least Blue needs him.

\---

Lance is so caught up in his memories that he completely misses the moment when a hologram of his sister’s face pops up on Blue’s windshield. The image flickers slightly before finally rooting in place.

“Lance,” Allura says sternly, her voice bringing Lance back to the present. Her mouth is set in a straight line and her hair is half-done-up in a fancy, traditional Altean style. Behind her, Lance spots a few servants scurrying around, readying her for the feast tonight.

Lance flashes her a toothy smile as he falls into his default-confident act immediately; it’s as effortless as breathing.

“ _Allura_ ,” he mocks her tone. As a dumb act of rebellion, he increases Blue’s speed so that Allura can see how he zips past the clouds ahead.

“Why are you always doing things like this?”

"I'm the classic rebellious prince. It's a tough job, you know. You should be thanking me for my sacrifice."

"Thank you," she drawls sarcastically. “You know how much I just _love_ to hear father worrying where you’ve gone and Coran having to track you down despite us all knowing you’ve taken Blue somewhere. _It_ _’_ _s my favorite thing in the world._ ”

Shooting her a couple finger guns, Lance grins once more. “You’re welcome, sis.”

There is a short pause as a servant steps behind Allura to finish doing up the rest of her hair. Lance winks at the young girl and her face warms up until she steps out of frame again. Allura shoots Lance an unimpressed look but says nothing to him as she waves her servants out of the room. Once they are gone, Allura’s face changes to a quiet disappointment and her voice goes serious.

"I stuck up for you last time, do you remember," she says and Lance winces, already knowing her next words. "I said you would stop doing things like this but obviously you're incapable of acting your age."

"I'm sorry," Lance says, the guilt settling deep in his chest. "I know I said I'd stop, but Blue missed me and I missed her."

"Blue is a _plane_ , Lance. And you're a prince. I'm tired of acting like the only responsible one here."

Lance looks down, refusing to meet his sister's eyes. Because what can he say to that? She’s not wrong.

"We'll talk more when you're back in your room." Her face flickers before disappearing and Lance is left staring at his own reflection, not quite sure if he likes what he's seeing.

\---

"Do I _have_ to wear that?" Lance asks a few hours later when Hunk is holding out long pieces of fabric in front of him. They are getting ready for the feast, but the process is taking ten times longer than it should on account of Lance’s constant whining; it’s a wonder that Hunk puts up with him.

The robes are beautiful, there's no denying it - what with their fine blue fabric that seems to glow under the light. Small gemstones glitter up and down the torso, reflecting even more of the light so that it dances on the ceiling in beautiful shapes. But it's.. a lot, and as much as Lance is _a lot_ personality-wise, he doesn't like to look it.

"Can't I wear my normal clothes?"

Hunk shrugs. "King's orders. This is what you're wearing."

“Hunk~” Lance draws out. “My buddy, my man, my best friend in the entire world-“

“Lance, no,” Hunk says, rolling his eyes. “Just put this on. I don’t want a repeat of Allura’s coronation.”

Lance starts slipping into the robes but continues to look at his friend with a wounded look. Hunk smartly ignores him, helping Lance into the rest of his clothes and wiping a thin layer of makeup over his face. Despite his hatred of formal clothes, Lance can’t help but stare appreciatively at himself in the mirror when it’s all over.

His features shimmer slightly under his bedroom lights, the makeup reflecting the light in a way that’s not too in-your-face, but is definitely still noticeable. The blue marks under his eyes look bright, a direct contrast to the dark brown of his eyes. White hair is pulled away from his face in a loose braid, with a few pieces let free to frame his face. His body looks miles long, legs accentuated with the form-fitting nature of his robes.

He looks hot.

No surprise there, but still it’s nice to know. Doesn’t make him hate this dinner any less, though.

\---

A few hours before sundown, Allura and Lance are called down to their father’s study. The two catch each other in the hallway outside their rooms and walk the rest of the way side-by-side. Allura’s heels clink lightly like bells against the tiled floors of the walkway s they make their way to Alfor.

“You look nice,” Lance muses at his sister.

And she does. She’s dressed much in the same way as him, but she manages to pull everything off more elegantly. Regal is the word Lance would use to describe Allura– she fits the part of a crowned princes perfectly. The pink marks under her eyes glow brightly and her shoulders are back, pose confident and secure.

“Thank you,” she hums. Her head turns to the side to take in her brother. “You look nice as well, but Lance,” she looks down at his shoes. They barely peek out under the length of his robes. “Why are you wearing _those?_ _”_

“Hey – these are my favorite shoes! Don’t diss perfection.”

Favorite shoes, they may be, but even Lance knows that the worn boots are far from perfect. He’s donned them on almost every adventure – wearing them so much that the original brown leather has been scratched and marked up so much that they look black.

Allura shakes her head at him but doesn’t say a word. The two stop in front of their father’s study and Allura knocks twice.

After a moment, the dark wood doors open, and Lance is greeted by Coran’s smiling face. Even he’s dressed up for the occasion – mustache having been clipped down a millimeter or so on both sides.

“Allura, Lance!” he says happily, gesturing for them to step inside. “Are you two excited for tonight?”

“Excited isn’t quite the word I’d use,” Lance mutters under his breath and Allura jabs him once in the side with her elbow. _Owww._

Coran must not hear Lance because he continues smiling, waiting for a response.

“Yes, very excited, Coran. I’m looking forward to meeting my fiancé,” Allura says, smiling back at him politely – the picture of diplomacy.

“Well, that’s only natural.” Coran starts walking forward, toward the door that separates the lounge room from Alfor’s study. “You haven’t seen Prince Keith yet, but I’m sure you’ve heard the whispers about the castle. He’s very handsome,” Coran winks at Allura and Lance feels like he’s going to throw up his lunch.

“I’ve heard that as well,” Allura nods. “I’m more interested in his combat experience, however. Is it true that he fought during the revolution?”

“That he did, my princess! He was a general - he and his father headed the final battle that decided Kubra’s independence.”

“I’m sure he has much to teach Altea in the ways of war.”

“We’ll need to have him demonstrate his expertise in front of our troops.” Coran’s voice is growing louder, more excited. As the commander of Altea’s military, he is always looking for ways to improve the planet’s line of defense. “We seem to be gusting rusty after so many years of peace.”

“I’ve heard his preferred weapon is the double-edged sword. Is that true?”

“Yes, that’s correct. Martial arts style-fighting is a favorite of his as well.”

“He’ll have to show us. I’ve never seen a soldier utilize that battle technique before.”

Lance feels his attention shifting, away from Coran and Allura’s conversation. While the hearsay may state that Prince Keith is some experienced, awe-inspiring leader, Lance is skeptical; he won’t believe it until he sees it with his own eyes. Secretly, Lance suspects that the prince of Kubra is just blowing air out of his ass – he must pay people to speak so highly of him. There’s no way anyone is _that_ perfect.

“Lance-“ His name coming from Coran’s lips drags Lance back to the conversation. He looks over to his father’s assistant, who has a gleam in his eyes that suggests he knows what Lance was thinking. He smiles, mustache tilting upwards a bit at the movement of his mouth.

“Your father wanted to speak with you first. After that, you’ll be free to go to the dining area to wait for Prince Keith’s arrival.”

“Thanks, Coran. Will you be there too?”

“Yes, I will be, though not near you all. I’ll be with the rest of the guard, making sure that everything is in order security-wise. Maybe I shall join you for the dancing afterward.”

Lance nods.“Kay, see you on the flipside then.” He mock salutes Coran, who mimics the gesture in return. Then, Lance is walking into his father’s study, only slightly nervous that he was called in here alone.

Strangely enough, his father isn’t there, but the back door that leads to his bedroom is open, so Lance suspects his father is putting some last-minute touches on his appearance.

With a drawn-out sigh, Lance falls down into one of the plush white chairs near the door and props his feet up on a table. He looks around at the study, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings with curious eyes.

While Allura seems to spend every day in here, Lance has only visited his father’s study once or twice. Whenever he’d tried in the past, he’d been shooed away by an official – them telling him that his father “is busy with work right now, we shall let him know that you visited.” Lance knows that he’s unimportant politics-wise, but it still stings that Allura and Alfor have this special place, while Lance barely sees his father anymore.

Lance shakes his head twice, getting rid of the toxic thoughts. _No need to get in a weird place, Lance. You_ _’_ _re just being sensitive._ He looks around again, actually taking in the room this time.

Dark wood paneling, harvested from the trees around the palace, extends from wall-to-wall. The ceiling above his head is the same wood texture, but instead of flat paneling, intricate designs have been carved into the surface. It’s a little hard to tell exactly what the designs consist of, but Lance sees a few lions and some rounded shapes that glitter with added gemstones – quintessence. The room is dark apart from his father’s desk – the only sources of light come from the glowing blue gemstones and small windows near the ceiling.

It’s cozy, _comfortable_. Lance can picture his father seated comfortably in his desk, night-after-night, going over Altean law pamphlets before discussing them with Allura.

“Lance,” his father says, voice ringing out in the room, and Lance’s gaze moves to meet him.

Just like Allura, Alfor looks regal. His robes are more free-flowing than Lance’s own, and the crown on his head is large, imposing, only softened by the hint of a smile on his face.

“What’s up, pops?”Lance asks, leaning back in his chair and crossing one leg over the other. He hopes he looks as calm and self-assured as he wishes he could be.

“Just a few words, and then you can be on your way,” Alfor sits down at his desk and crosses his arms. His attention is entirely on Lance and it’s unnerving, to say the least.

“Now, Lance. I know it’s no secret that you aren’t happy about Prince Keith’s arrival.”

“That’s the understatement of the year,” Lance mutters under his breath. He seems to be doing a lot of that lately – the muttering thing. As with everything, he blames Kubra’s prince.

“ _But_ ,”Alfor continues, ignoring Lance’s interruption, “I need you to be on your best behavior today.”

“That’s going to be a little hard, considering that I _really don_ _’_ _t_ want to go.”

“You are a son of Altea. You are going and that is not up for debate. And you will be in a good mood the entire night. No more of your underhanded comments.”

“But, father-“

“No, buts. I will not have you embarrassing Allura when she meets her fiancé. Is that clear?”

“Yes sir,” Lance says, slouching back in his chair, feeling embarrassed and very much like a reprimanded child.

“Okay, good.”Alfor smiles tiredly at Lance, but the prince doesn’t have the heart to return the look. “You can send Allura in now.”

\---

A little while later, Allura and Lance are sitting at a long table. On Allura’s right sits King Alfor and next to him are his top-ranked officials. Lance doesn’t know any of their names (he’s sure that Allura does); all he knows is that they are secretary-of-this and general-of-that. Again, Lance has never been big on the political-stuff of Altea.

All around them are honored guests – dignitaries from neighboring planets and the richest of Alteans that could afford to buy a seat here. They are perched on fine wooden chairs, the air around them warm under the setting sun. It was Allura’s decision to hold the feast outside; she wanted to showcase Altea’s natural beauty for their foreign visitors, and Alfor had agreed. Allura’s decision had been correct, as always. The night around them is as perfect as it could be.

The guests seem to feel the same way. The place is buzzing with energy, and the whispers only seem to grow louder as Kubra’s spaceship touches down on Altean soil.

Lance watches on as the prince walks out of the lip of the ship. He is surrounded by guards and Kubra’s King nods at him once before giving him a brief, one-armed hug. Lance’s view is mostly blocked and the prince is so far away, but he can make out one thing about his appearance.

“Allura,” he snickers behind his hand and she turns to him with curious eyes. “Quiznak, he has a _mullet._ ”

Allura jabs him once in the side, hard and so quick that their father doesn’t even notice.

“Ow," Lance whines under his breath and rubs at his now aching torso. "Why would you do that?"

“Be respectful."

 Prince Keith nods at something his father says and they continue to swap words back and forth.

“He looks so serious,” Allura says in a hushed voice. Her eyebrows are drawn up in slight concern, and her face looks unsure, nervous even.

Lance stares at the alien look on her face. Allure doesn't _do_ nervous, and he's never seen her look this worried before. But he can imagine why; the pressure on her shoulders must weigh tons. Wanting to help calm her down, he pokes once at her cheek and immediately her face relaxes. He directs a large grin at her.

“You two will fit together perfectly then.”

She smiles back, but the emotion doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “I suppose.”

“Believe me, you will. Any guy would be crazy not to fall in love with you. You’re a downright catch, and that’s a huge compliment coming from me, the universe’s most ultimate catch.”

Allura laughs, and this time her smile seems genuine. “Thank you, Lance. Sometimes I forget that behind your dumb ideas, you actually can be wise.”

“Hey-” Lance starts but shuts his mouth at his father’s pointed look.

He realizes why when suddenly Lance is overwhelmed by red: so many red robes. The dignitaries walk forward in a line towards the Altean table, standing stick straight and looking very, very severe. Prince Keith has stayed behind and only his father walks forward. There isn't a smile to be seen.

When the line reaches their table, Alfor finally breaks the silence, a wide smile on his face. He holds out a hand in greeting and the words fall effortlessly from his mouth. "Welcome to Altea. We are very happy to have you all."

With those words, the odd bubble of tension seems to pop, and the king of Kubra is meeting Alfor’s hand halfway.

"Thank you for having us," he says in a deep voice. All around, Kubra’s officials and Altea’s official continue that trend – shaking hands with each other and letting out warm greetings. Allura is smiling at all the faces of the Kubrish people as they fall over each other trying to introduce themselves.Lance lets out a loud sigh. This is why he hates coming to royal meetings like this; he's nothing more than a side piece. No one has even introduced themselves to him yet. Lance isn't important enough for that.

Lance lets out a loud sigh. This is why he hates coming to royal meetings like this; he's nothing more than a side piece. No one has even introduced themselves to him yet. Lance isn't important enough for that.

"Hello," a man says, breaking Lance out of his thoughts. He is part of the Kubrish party, as evidenced by his dark red and black uniform.

The man has a smile on his face, and Lance is immediately drawn in by his gorgeous face. His features are sharp, angular and framed by a head of black hair - the dark color broken by a streak of white. There are intriguing scars marring up his face; instead of detracting from the man's beauty, the marks seem to amplify it. They give him a sense of adventure, of danger and Lance can't have enough of something like that.

" _Hello_ ," Lance purrs. His voice is practically dripping with sweetness as he layers on the flirting. "Who are _you?"_

Seemingly oblivious to Lance's flirting, the man continues to smile in a friendly way. "My name is Shiro and I am the head of guard for Prince Keith. I assume you're Prince Lance?"

"That I am."

"Nice to meet you," the man, Shiro, says and Lance meets his hand halfway in a shake. The grip is firm in his own and Lance practically drools.

"I suppose we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the coming month?"

Shiro nods. "The prince tends to get himself in some risky situations so I wouldn't be surprised." He turns towards Allura, who has been watching their exchange with curious eyes.

"Princess," Shiro says with that same friendly smile. "It's lovely to meet you."

She smiles at him, and Lance is surprised to see that it's a genuine look. She must have gotten over her nervousness, or at the very least, is good at hiding it.

"May I ask where your prince is?" Allura asks. "He seems to have disappeared."

"Oh, yes," Shiro moves to the side. “Prince Keith please come forward.”

Then, Allura and Lance are greeted face-to-face with Prince Keith, and _boy_ was he not what Lance was expecting.

Whenever Lance pictured Keith in his mind, he had always had wavering images of a tall, imposing man pop into his head. Someone who was overly muscled and who had his nose upturned at Altea, too full of himself to interest himself in anything that Altea offered.

Keith is -- well, he's -- Lance takes in the prince's dark brown eyes and thin frame. He carries himself gracefully, like a prince, but also like someone who feels uncomfortable out of place and slightly curled in on himself. Lance can identify with that, and he looks on curiously as Keith introduces himself to Allura, kissing her hand, and then to Alfor, shaking hands firmly but refusing to meet the King's eyes. His robes fit him well, and Lance is surprised that _anyone_ is able to pull off that color palette like Keith does. All in all, the prince would be gorgeous, mullet and all if it weren't for the giant scowl taking up most of his face.

Then, there's also the fact that Keith hasn't turned to him once in this round of introductions. The prince is in a light conversation with Allura, talking about the ALtean weather or something mundane like that, but he hasn't once deigned to look Lance's way. It's rude; it's insulting and Lance won't stand for it. 

"Nice to meet you, too," Lance mutters under his breath.

The prince's head turns to Lance, and when he takes him in, his eyes widen the slightest bit. But the confusing look is gone before it has a chance to settle, and Prince Keith looks back to Allura without acknowledging Lance in the slightest.

Lance feels himself bristle. So what if he isn't the firstborn? That doesn't mean that the prince can treat him like he's not even there.

"Prince Keith," Lance almost shouts, interrupting whatever the jerk was saying to Allura. All eyes turn to him, including Allura and their father. He holds out a hand. "I'm Lance. The other Altean royal child."

Keith nods, meeting Lance's hand halfway. He still hasn't said anything to him.

"I'm sure you were just about to introduce yourself, right? There is no way you'd be so rude as to talk around me forever."

Keith's eyes widen once more as he finishes shaking Lance's hand. "I apologize. I didn't mean to offend-"

" _Offend_ ," Lance scoffs. He looks to his father who, sensing Lance's foul mood, nods for him to leave. "I'll excuse myself. Nice to meet you, prince." He leaves before saying anything he'll regret.

As he walks out, he can feel Keith's eyes on his back. Lance already knows he’s not going to like _Keith_ , and nothing will ever make him like Allura’s fiancé – not after an introduction like _that._


End file.
